1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to word line faults in memories, and more specifically, to word line fault detection in memories.
2. Related Art
Integrated circuits may fail in a variety of ways, and with memories continuing to be more common as at least a portion of integrated circuits, failures in memories are having a bigger impact. One of the failures in memories relates to word lines. One type of failure is that no word line is enabled when the memory is intended to be accessed. Detection for this type of failure is commonly indicated by a signal called “word line on indicator.” This signal indicates whether a word line has been enabled, i.e., a word line is on. Another type of fault occurs when more than one word line is enabled in the same array. The signal that indicates this type of fault is commonly called a multi word line fault indicator. Although it is preferable that such errors do not occur, it is often the case that the integrated circuit can continue to function even with such errors but the integrated circuit needs to know about such error to continue to perform properly. Thus, it is useful if the indication of such word line faults can be achieved as quickly as possible. Also it is desirable for the circuitry detecting the faults require as little space as possible.
Accordingly, there is a need for a word line fault detector that improves upon one or more of the issues raised above.